What Defines Effective Chemistry Laboratory Instruction? Teaching Assistant and Student Perspectives

Abstract

Although the chemistry laboratory is an essential element of the majority of introductory college and university chemistry courses, labs are often criticized for the lack of student learning that occurs. Research concerning teaching effectiveness indicates the factors involved in teaching effectiveness; however, most of this research focuses on classroom instructional methods. Our research identifies qualities that students and teaching assistants perceived to be important for effective instruction within the introductory university chemistry laboratory context. Students and teaching assistants involved with a large enrollment, introductory chemistry laboratory course were asked to complete a two-part questionnaire containing both Likert and free-response questions. Analysis of the questionnaires indicated good, though not complete, agreement between students and teaching assistants as to the qualities considered to be most important in determining effective instruction. A general picture of an effective introductory chemistry laboratory teaching assistant begins to emerge. This article discusses results of the questionnaire, possible implications these findings have for preparing chemistry laboratory teaching assistants, and directions for future work in this area.